In Love and War
by En-Symfoni-af-Dod-og-Skrig
Summary: When Cloud fails to complete his assignment from Hades, he is punished and bound to Leon by his life. When Hades finds a new soul to manipulate, the possibility of war is inevitable. AU. DOESN'T FOLLOW KH STORYLINE!
1. Chapter 1

So, I'm taking another stab at this thing. Constructive criticism is welcome and I am open to suggestions.

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IN LOVE AND WAR

A thin young man lay on the cold, stone floor of the Colesium. The sky was dark with night, illuminated by the occasional shock of lightning that cracked the sky in an intricate pattern, while a taller, larger man walked circles around the blonde who was lying in the floor.

"Oh Cloud." The man purred. "I would've thought you'd be better than this by now?"

It had been a long, gruelling battle. Swords clashing, feathers flying and grunts of pain from both participants of the fight.

But now, Cloud was struggling to breathe, Masamune pierced through his stomach. He lifted his head and tried to focus on the man who paced around him, but his eyes refused of focus, and his head was starting to pound.

"Hades!"

A tall, blue man with fiery hair walked over to the weak figure, and he purred in the man's ear.

"Well, Spike, I had an inkling that you wouldn't be able to kill the kid, but I hoped..." The God sighed mockingly and pulled Masamune out from Cloud's stomach. "No matter, I have a new toy to play with now. Maybe he'll turn out better than you." Hades stood up straight again, grinning evilly. "Put it this way Spike..." He snapped his fingers and shadows swarmed around Cloud. "..Better hope he doesn't die...or you will too."

The young man let out a harsh cough, but as he looked up, he was kicked in the hip, making him cry out in pain.

But Cloud didn't stop screaming.

He felt his tissue and muscle shift and flex, his shoulderblades moving and skin tearing painfully as two large, leathery black wings ripped out from underneath his skin. Cloud felt his spine elongating and his ears moving up towards the top of his head.

"Oh, and another thing." Hades purred, dropping a star-shaped fruit next to Cloud's head. "If you know what's good for you, you'll eat it."

Thrashing on the floor, the blonde blacked out just after his transformation, the two figures leaving him alone in the cold night of the Colesium, the rain washing away the remaining blood from now-healed wounds.

###

Sora, Donald and Goofy were seated round the kitchen table, along with the Restoration Committee (including Irvine). Spirits were high in the small group, and Sora took his chance to educate everyone about the Papou Fruit.

"What's that?" Yuffie asked reaching out to grab the fruit but Sora pulled it away from her grasp.

"It's a Papou Fruit." Sora explained, grinning. "If you eat one, your destiny becomes intertwined with another person's."

Cid burst out laughing.

"I bet it's bullshit." Cid grunted, drinking deeply from his beer. "It's a fucking mutant banana."

Sora raised an eyebrow and looked over at Leon, who also looked skeptical.

"Care to try?" He asked, brandishing the fruit at the Gunblader.

The teen held the fruit in front of him, and Leon grabbed it, raising it to his mouth, before pausing.

"I bet it doesn't do anything." He scoffed.

"Try it!" Sora pleaded.

###

Cloud grunted and tried to sit up, but his body screamed in protest and the blonde fell down again

He brought the fruit to his lips, and took a bite, not prepared for what would happen next.

###

Darkness filled his vision, with a white silhouette of a tall, muscular man comtrasting starkly with the black.

A Gunblade swung in the air, slaughtering a large Heartless.

A cry of fear as the white silhouette fell from the sky, but being caught.

A moan of pleasure - his own.

"...Cloud."

###

"Just take a bite of the damn fruit and keep the kid happy." Cid grumbled.

Leon rolled his eyes and took a bite, nearly dropping the fruit in suprise at what he experienced.

###

A white flash filled his vision, and images of a small man cast in silhouette flashed before him.

Next he saw himself, flying throught the air, but carried by someone else, his face still cast in shadow.

Two large wings.

A long blade and a scream of pain.

Glowing blue eyes dimming.

"Leon..."

###

Leon was working on paving the streets when Scrooge waddled up to him as fast as he could.

"Leon! Heartless in the southern district!" He squarked loudly, eyes wide in panic. "Irvine's down there!"

Leon's brows slammed together like thunderclouds and he started runnning towards the southern district as fast as he possibly could.

###

The Gunblader skidded to a halt infront of a long alleyway, the sight of the young man laying on the floor in a pool of his own blood instantly sparking a reaction in Leon.

It was Irvine, maimed and bloodied, a gaping hole in his chest where the Heartless had stolen his heart.

Leon dropped to his knees next to Irvine, and the Gunblader felt his eyes fill with tears, reaching out to brush soft hair away from a handsome face.

"Irvine I'm sorry."

Resting his head on a muscular chest, Leon mourned the death of his lover, tears spilling from his eyes and seeping into the torn clothes of his boyfriend.

A soft footfall behind him went unnoticed.

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I know I've twisted the Papou Fruit legend slightly, but just to make it work.


	2. Chapter 2

Hej hej.

I got a review for this? I wasn't expecting that, I'm flattered. Anyway, the first few chapters are just to get things explained, but by chapter 3 or 4, things will start to roll. Provided I get that far (they're written, just if people want to read them.).

DISCLAIMER- I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

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CHAPTER 2

Leon continued to cry, and did not acknowledge the person behind him.

"You can't stay here and mourn, they'll be back for you." A deep baritone forced Leon to turn around, where a blonde man stood.

"I won't leave him!" Leon snapped jumping up, a deep scowl marring his face as the man stormed up to him, eyes glowing green.

A loud roar ecoed throughout the sky, and the shorter man's left ear twitched. He glanced upwards to the sky and then back at Leon, who snarled at him.

"Listen, they killed him, but they were after you." The other snarled through gritted teeth, hands grabbing the older man's shirt. "If we stay here then we'll both end up like him."

Several masses of large, powerful Heartless spawned, claws extended and weapons raised in a threatening stance.

Stormy grey eyes locked onto glowing green.

"Who are you?!" He demanded, just as a Dark Thorn lunged at him.

The sound of clothes ripping and the sudden appearance of wings startled Leon as he dropped his Gunblade and felt his feet lose contact with the solid ground as he was lifted into the air.

"It's you they want!"

Leon panicked as he watched the ground below grow further and further away, the cold winds ruffling his hair as powerful, metallic wings beat against the air, carrying him further into the sky.

"Let me down!" Leon yelled, trying to climb over the smaller blonde in his fretful state.

"You're in danger." The man breathed, leveling out as he felt the man move. Leon was being carried hundreds of feet in the air at a breakneck speed.

Leon reached round to get a better grip and accidentally grabbed the base of other's wings, pulling them down and forcing them to tuck in against the small body, forcing the two men into a nosedive.

Leon yelled as he watched the ground rush up to meet them, and unwillingly let go of the man's powerful wings when they snapped open to break their fall, and he tore some of the delicate membrane. The brunette was clinging to slender hips with his legs, hanging upside down and watching Hollow Bastion - along with his life - zoom past.

The blonde showed no signs of slowing down, and Leon felt his legs slipping.

"You're being fucking ridiculous, hold on!" The swordsman yelled, passing Leon towards his arms so he could hold him more securely.

"Just let me down!" Leon cried, still trying to climb over the smaller body.

"If I do, they'll kill you!" The Ex-SOLDIER shook his head against Leon's frantic hands as the brunette shifted his leg over his waist.

"Let me down!"

The blonde growled and screamed. "Stupid man!"

Leon's weight on one side of the warrior's body caused the swordsman to lose balance and roll in the air, and Leon clinged on for his life, screaming.

The blonde grunted as he pulled himself into a dive, the Gunblader slipping around onto his back.

When the blonde man finally sraightened himself out again, Leon felt himself sliding off.

"I'm slipping!"

With a hiss, glowing blue eyes glanced behind him and watched Leon fall off, and he quickly dived and grabbed Leon's hand.

"Take me down now!" Leon pleaded, his voice hoarse from screaming and yelling.

Spotting a deep pool of water, the man growled.

"I have very little choice!" He snarled, swinging Leon into the pool.

With a large splash, Leon fell into the cold water and quickly climbed back out again, dripping on the grey stone of Hollow Bastion.

Aeris was walking past when she spied a soaked Leon.

"Goodness!" She cried. "What happened to you?"

Leon simply shook his head and slunk off to his house in the Third District, wanting to mourn in peace.

###

It was a few days after the flying incident, and Leon was fiddling with some dodgy pipework in the western part of Hollow Bastion.

A soft rustle caught his attention, and he turned round, dropping the damaged pipe in his hands.

It was the winged man from a few days earlier, standing in front of him, several swords harnessed to his back.

Leon was secretly grateful that the blonde wasn't carrying those the other day.

However, swords and wings aside, the brunette finally got to see who the man was.

Blonde hair spike hazardly in all directions, one major spike shooting up above the rest. White cat ears sprouted from his head, while a long, plush tail protruded from the base of his spine. He was pale, with smooth, flawless skin and glowing blue eyes. He wore a metal glove on one hand, the golden claws shining in the sun. A tattered, blood-red cloak hung behind him, and several belts and straps held on seemlessly useless bits of metal. Baggy blue trousers hung off of his small hips while a ribbed knitted vest covered his torso. Leon guessed that the man was probably a few years younger than himself, and a fair bit smaller.

"You!" He pointed an accusing finger at the younger man.

The blonde frowned in confusion and walked towards Leon, not replying.

"I could handle those Heartless just fine on my own."

"Mourning over your friend? Just about to spring into action were you?" The small man mocked.

The older man scowled.

"I was doing fine."

Aggravated at the man's demeanour, Leon stopped talking and turned to his work. He wanted nothing more

The two men stood there, glowing blue locked on to stormy grey.

Leon shook his head, anger flooding his body.

"What were you playing at the other day?!" He demanded, glaring angrily at the other man.

"They wanted you." The man explained. "It was a trap. A trap to kill you."

"I should've been there with him!" Leon yelled, angry at himself, but lashing out at someone else. "I could've saved him!"

Metal ground against the sheath as the brunette produced his Gunblade, pointing it at the blonde's throat, finger trembling on the trigger.

"No. They would've killed you, and in turn, I would-"

"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" Leon cried, driving the smaller man backwards.

"You would've met the same fate." The blonde man stated firmly, and the two men stared into each other's eyes.

Leon felt his eyes sting.

"Go away!" He snapped. "You're more trouble than you're worth!"

The blonde man growled quietly, pain flashing across his feminine face, before anger warped his features, and he huffed angrily, spreading his wings and taking flight, wings carrying him away.

#####

I am aware that Cloud only has one wing, but I gave him two.


	3. Chapter 3

Hej hej.

This chapter is crappy, but does explain what's happened or going to happen. Next chapter things start to move.

DISCLAIMER- I don't own Kingdom Hearts

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CHAPTER 3

Leon walked into the kitchen, where Aeris was bustling around in the kitchen, preparing dinner for the Restoration Committee while Cid was fiddling with a Gummi Block.

"Is Merlin here?" The Gunblader grumbled, stomping over to the table and throwing himself onto the chair.

"No." Aeris smiled and placed a beer infront of the man. "Why?"

Before Leon could answer, the sound of someone knocking in on the door caught Aeris' attention.

She opened it, and she gasped in suprise.

"Cloud!"

Leon whipped around and stared at the blonde man who walked into the kitchen, swords strapped to his back and wings gone.

Leon hoped that a Heartless had torn the bloody things off.

He hoped it was painful.

"You!" Leon snarled, eyes narrowing to slits.

Cloud just stood there, face blank.

"Intruding on your family time?" He drawled.

Leon only scowled, and Merlin tottered in, a stream of books following behind him.

"You called?" The old man asked, looking over at the Gunblader, before frowning.

"You are the one that Hades has bonded to Cloud..." The wizard sighed. "This is not good...not good at all."

"What does he mean?" Leon glared at Cloud, who looked away.

"I failed to carry out what Hades asked of me...as punishment, he bound me to you with my life." Cloud looked up again. "They're after you too."

"Who?" Leon frowned.

"Hades, the Heartless...Sephiroth."

Leon's eyes widened. A man who he had never met before has now put his life in danger.

He'd kill him before the Heartless ever would.

"You two are now connected in more ways than one." Merlin explained. "Leon, that night you ate the Papou fruit to spite Sora linked you to Cloud. Now he's found you, that has put your life in grave danger."

"Danger." Cid mimicked, smirking. "Hate to be you." He pointed to Leon, who was fiddling with his beer bottle.

Leon ignored the pilot and looked at Merlin. "Because Cloud chose me?"

Merlin shook his head.

"Hades has bound Cloud to you. A magical bond, one that is only broken by death."

Leon frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If Cloud is slaughtered, you will be left to live on, weak and empty. But if you perish, Cloud's fate is the same as yours."

Leon glanced at Cloud, who held a sombre expression.

"What he says is true." He confirmed softly, eyes glowing.

"You two will now have to fight together if you are to stop Maleficent and her forces." The old wizard twirled the end of his beard around his fingers. "Your rare bond now means that Cloud's life rests in your hands. You will each have to fight together."

"I came to find Sephiroth." Cloud grumbled, crossing his arms firmly across his chest. "I have no care for Maleficent."

"Well he's not here is he?" Leon mumbled under his breath, watching Cloud's ear twitch in annoyance. "I don't even know who Maleficent is."

"Maleficent is an evil Sorceress who is able to control the Heartless. She's a powerful, terrifying, unstoppable force of nature, capable of causing great destruction."

"Oookaaay." Cid chuckled. "I think you've been living in that waterway a little too long, old man."

Leon frowned, while Cloud remained emotionless.

"...I've heard some fuckin' doozies in my day, but this one takes the cake." The old pilot placed a cigarette in his mouth and lit it, taking a deep breath in.

"I have reason to believe that Maleficent has control of the Heartless, there is no other logical conclusion that I can think of." Merlin frowned. "Let me assure you, Leon and Cloud's destinies are now intertwined...and that thought is a hopeful one."

###

Hades stood on the dragonboat as it sailed across the dead sea. A young silver-haired boy was with him, eyeing the souls that were swimming around them.

"Now kid, I have a very important task for you." Hades purred, throwing a steak to Cerberus. "My previous...employee screwed his job, and I want you to do it for me."

Riku looked up at the God.

"What is it you require me to do?"

"Well, you know how your friend Kairi has lost her heart? Well, I know for certain that is you rid the worlds of one pesky child, then your friend will regain her heart. Kill Sora, and your friend lives."

Riku frowned. "Why would I kill Sora? He's my friend."

Hades scowled and conjured an image of Sora walking off with Donald and Goofy. "Friend? He replaced you with talking pets! A true friend wouldn't do that, would he? Besides..." He chuckled darkly. "It's all Sora's fault that Kairi doesn't have her heart...if he succeeds, she won't get her heat, will she?"

Riku nodded. Sora had replaced him.

"Deal."

He shook hands with Hades.

###

"Alright." Leon sighed heavily, scratching the back of his head. "I say if we must work together, then I say we call a truce."

Leon and Cloud were loitering around the Bailey, the younger swordsman just standing there, a small smile on his face.

"I'll call a truce, provided you can actually fight." Cloud smirked.

Leon caught on, drawing his Gunblade.

"You sure?" He cocked an eyebrow. "I won't go easy on you."

Cloud drew his own sword, and Leon noted how he left the other few swords detached from the main body.

"Let me test you." Cloud growled, bringing his sword in front of him in a defensive stance.

The two leapt at each other, their blades meeting with a loud clang and Leon felt Cloud's power vibrate through him, and the older brunette pushed Cloud will all his strength, the smaller man sliding backwards a good few feet, clothes ripping and pauldron falling off as his wings appeared, fanning out and stretching.

The sound of grinding metal rang through the air as their weapons disengaged, and Cloud started driving Leon back, spinning and slashing in a wild yet precise manner, with such speed that Leon was barely able to block all of the blonde's advances.

The brunette wpould never've guessed that such power could lay dormant in such a small man. The sword probably weighed more than Cloud, yet the blonde wielded the weapon as though it were no more than a stick. Sheer strength that was disproportionate to his small frame.

Leon grabbed a slender wrist and twisted it around behind the blonde, moving to slice Cloud's back, but the blonde brought his sword up to successfully block Leon's attack, at which the Gunblader released the swordsman and Cloud quickly advanced again and drove Leon down the Bailey, their swords gouging into the stone but not hindering them in any way.

Their swords crossed again and Leon pushed, Cloud's blade getting stuck into the stone but the man simply wrenched it out and swiped again, the two blades clashing fiercely.

Leon stopped clashing his Gunblade with Cloud's First Tsurugi, and the two swung their swords round rapidly, weapons not meeting nor slicing the stone around beneath them.

With an ear-splitting clang, their blades met with a suprising force and the two men pushed each other backwards, each landing at opposite ends of the Bailey.

Cloud recovered first and in two graceful bounds, leapt across the entire Bailey to meet Leon, their weapons clashing again as Leon drove Cloud outside towards the castle.

The blonde shouted as Leon's foot connected with his chin and he staggered backwards, wings curving round to protect himself before he turned round and brought his weapon in front of himself once more.

Leon jumped over railing and down into the Crystal Fissure below, Cloud following, clashing swords again before Leon's fist struck his left cheek and stalked towards him, raising his arms and Cloud following his action, the two men wrestled, arms above their heads and their weapons held in one hand.

###

"Hades, what do you want?" A thin lioness stalked towards the God, her expression formed into a dark frown.

"Oh Zira, how nice to see you too." Hades purred. "Listen I need a favor of you."

"I have no interest in your plans." Zira waved the God away, turning around. "I have better things to do.'

Hades swooped around, planting himself firmly in front of Zira, who snarled.

"You may want to listen, as I have a leverage you MIGHT want to know about." He snapped his fingers and grey smoke swirled into the image of the Pride Rock, and the lioness' grin turned twisted.

"You want the Pridelands, no? You want to take back what is rightfully yours?" At Zira's nod, he continued. "Well then, if you work with Riku to take out Sora, you can have your Pridelands...and more."

"More?" Zira growled.

Hades nodded.

"I will give you your Pridelands...and I will give you war."

Zira growled.

"If you can promise I get both?" She asked firmly.

"Of course!"

"Send the boy to me as soon as possible. I have waited far too long for what is mine."

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	4. Chapter 4

Hej hej.

Uploading chapter 4 because I really needed to make up for the crappiness of chapter 3. Things start to move here, and should make things clearer. Hopefully.

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CHAPTER 4

Riku padded across the Outlands towards an immense termite mound that dominated the center of the Outlands. The dry, cracked earth was hot underneath his paws, the sky orange and cloudless as the sun slowly sank over the horizon.

His ear twitched when he heard a faint song float from the East, and the white lion stood still, trying to discern the words.

_"...The thrill of Kovu's mighty roar!"_

A low growl rumbling from his throat, Riku continued walking, and soon came across Zira's home, where several Outlanders had climbed up, roaring as Zira chanted from the peak of the structure.

_"...Against a blood-red sky!"_

Walking through the entrance into the cave network, Riku suddered as the darkness inside flowed through him, and he felt power surge through his body.

Zira's final laugh echoed across the lands and faded out, and the older lioness leapt down to greet Riku.

"You're the boy Hades hired?" She cackled mockingly. "You're no more than the previous victim he had, I met him too."

Riku sighed and ignored Zira's words, the eyes of the onlooking Outlanders glowing in the dark alcoves around them.

"I was sent here to help you take the Pridelands." He explained, and Zira laughed again.

"Ha! That's what Cloud said...although, if he hadn't have had a change of heart, you would not be here." She leap up onto a ledge and stalked over to where a small brown cub was sleeping soundly.

"Up here, boy, I need to explain my plan to you." She snarled. "This is Kovu, he was chosen by Scar to become King."

"But Scar's dead." Riku pointed out. "Has been for years."

"Yes!" Zira spat, eyes flashing. "Because of Simba! If I can override Simba, I get to take back what is rightfully mine, and Kovu shall rule."

"Surely you have other lions to rule the Pridelands, should Kovu fail?" Riku questioned, beginning to understand that Zira was mad with anger.

"Don't be a fool!" Zira snapped. "Kovu was chosen, so therefore, Kovu shall become king. Nuka is not suited for the job." She dug her claws into a nearby wall and dragged them down, sparks flying.

"We cannot fail. Here's my plan."

###

Cloud and Leon sat slumped on the floor of the Bailey, panting and out of breath, covered in sweat.

"I won." Leon panted, and Cloud glared.

"No. I did." Cloud replied in a slightly childish tone, pouting.

Leon looked away, up into the mostly clear sky. Their spar was friendly, but neither came out completely unscathed.

Leon himself sported a gash on his left arm after Cloud landed a lucky hit, along with a few random bruises. His arm ached from trying to comabat Cloud's fierce strikes and the blonde's rapid movement.

Cloud fared off less well, a long laceration stretching from just under his left wing to his right hip, along with a swollen jaw and other cuts and bruises.

"What did Hades ask of you?" Leon question, knowing he was treading on thin ice.

Cloud's shoulder twitched. He barely knew Leon, he couldn't tell him.

"Why do you need to know?" He replied, a bit too defensive and too quickly.

"Depends, how bad did you fail to have Hades dish you out such a punishment?"

"You don't need to know! It doesn't concern you!" Cloud snarled, roughly getting to his feet, anger rising.

Leon frowned.

"I think it does. What did you do? Why does it warrant my life being in danger? I've never met you before, and you suddenly come waltzing in."

"Because it does! I didn't choose to be with you! It was Hades! If it were down to me, I'd rather-"

Cloud cut himself off, feeling the darkness flow through him, feeding off of his anger, growing stronger, making him more powerful.

Leon looked up at the younger man, noting the way his eyes turned cat-like and a dark shadow cast itself on his face despite the sun, making Cloud look twisted and wolfish.

"You don't know what I've been through." Cloud stated darkly, and as the blonde left with his sword, Leon swore he heard a deep, reverberating growl echo through the air.

###

"Hades, how is your plan progressing?" Maleficent drawled, giving the God a sidelong look.

"Slow down, I just handed the new one over today, give it some time!" Hades explained quickly. "The new guy looks more promising than ol' Spike so things should start moving."

"Yes, but is Riku strong enough?" Maleficent questioned, turning to face Hades.

"Strength is no matter," came a cold voice. "As long as Riku can be exposed to the darkness and let it in, he will be strong enough." The man stepped out of the shadows towards Maleficent and Hades. "You saw what happened to Cloud when he was exposed to darkness."

"Yes, but Cloud was already festering with darkness when Hades found him." Maleficent sneered. "Indeed, Strife became a powerful engine of destruction when he let the darkness consume him, adding to his already substantial power."

"If he could be turned again, he could be used to our advantage." Sephiroth drawled, eyes glowing.

Maleficent's grin turned twisted.

"He will not be able to resist the temptation the darkness offers."

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End file.
